Electrically operable stapler actuator



Oct. 27, 1953 r J 2,656,537

ELECTRICALLY OPERABLE STAPLER ACTUATOR Filed Oct- 11, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet l Jam? 655:.

ATTORNEYS INVENTOR:

Oct. 27, 1953 J. J. GEEL 2,656,537

ELECTRICALLY OPERABLE STAPLER ACTUATOR Filed Oct. 11, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 3 T Jomv J. 6551. i 5 BY w ATJTORNEYJ Patented Oct. 27,1953 ELECTRICALLY- OPERABLE ACTUATOR STAPLER John J. Geel, Charlotte, N.0., assignor to Frances E. Shreve, Charlotte, N. 0.

Application October 11, 1950, Serial No. 189,535

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved electrically operable stapleractuator and more especially to a device adapted to receive aconventional hand operated stapling machine and which is provided withimproved electrically operable means for actuating the conventionalstapling machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide a stapler actuator whichhas means therein for adjustably holding various sizes of conventionalstaplers and which is provided with improved electrically operable meansadapted to impart a positive driving action to the stapler to cause thesame to operate upon an electrical circuit being completed to theelectrically operable means.

Various attempts have heretofore been made to actuate a stapler byelectrical means such as an electro-magnet or the like and theseprevious attempts have resulted in complicated and expensive devices foractuating the stapler, said devices being adapted to actuate only onetype of stapler and embodying various levers and the like whichfrequently become inoperable and fail to impart a positive action to thestapler. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a deviceof simplified construction which is adjustable to permit the same to beused with staplers of various types and sizes and which is provided withan electricsolenoid, said solenoid having a link connected thereto whichis connected to one end of a bell crank pivotally mounted in the housingof said device, and the other end of the bell crank being provided witha roller adapted to rest upon the upper portion of a stapler, wherebyupon electrical current being transmitted to the solenoid a positivemovement will be eifected of the link moving the bell crank downwardlyin a smooth positive stroke to impart 7 positive action to the stapler,and said device being constructed of a minimum number of parts formaximum durability.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an isometric view ofthe improved stapler actuator showing one type of a conventional staplerassociated therewith;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the improved actuator looking at theleft-hand side of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the improvedactuator;

V Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the actuator with the staplerremoved therefrom and taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure2;

electrical energy Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of the improvedactuator taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an isometric detail of the spring actuated means for holdingthe stapler in the improved device, a portion of the stapler being shownin phantom lines;

Figure 7 is an electrical diagram showing the circuit for theelectrically operable stapler actuator.

Referring more specifically to the drawings the numeral lil broadlydesignates a base plate of the improved device which may be of anysuitable construction such as stamped metal and which is preferablyprovidedwith a plurality of feet II which may be of resilient materialif desired. The base plate It! has an auxiliary or stapler holding platel2 suitably secured thereto, as by welding, the stapler holding plate l2preferably being substantially rectangularly shaped and having overalldimensions which are less than the overall dimensions of the bed plateIll so that the stapler holding plate I2 may be positioned on the uppersurface of the bed plate I0 leaving a portion of the upper surface ofthe bed plate l9 exposed around each edge of the stapler plate 2. Thefront portion of the stapler plate l2 has two upwardly bent portions I 3and 14 adapted to receive the front end of a conventional stapler I5.

This invention may be used with various types and various sizes ofstaplers and for purposes of illustration the stapler l5 shown is of thetype entitled Bostitch Model 353 embodying disclosures found in PatentNos. 1,584,788; 2,037,334;

2,150,332; and Design Patent Number 91,242.

The stapler I5 is provided witha base It having an anvil H thereon and ahammer carrying arm 20 pivotally mounted at the end of the base 55remote from the anvil I1 and carrying a hammer actuating arm 2| adaptedto actuate a conventional hammer container within a housing 22 at thefront portion of the hammer carrying lever iii. The housing 22 and thelever 20 also carry a plurality of conventional wire staples which areadapted to be moved by the hammer within the housing 22 to penetratematerial placed between the housing 22 and the anvil I! and to staplesaid material together upon the hammer actuating handle 2! being moveddownwardly in a conventional manner. It is an object of this inventionto provide improved electrically operable means for actuating the hammeractuating handle2l by positively moving the same downwardly upon beingapplied to the means to be disclosed.

lguide plate 3| the rear portion of the hammer actuator 2I.

25 may thus have sliding movement sta r I se u n ppsi iqnsprings 35 and36 and the and 53 of the housing 50 The stapler I5 is held in positionon the stapler plate I2 by the front of the base It of the stapler l5resting against the upturned portions I3 and 24 of the stapler plate I2with the base I6 of the stapler I5 resting upon the upper surface of thestapler plate I2. A stapler holding bracket 25 (Figure ;6) is providedwhich .may be formed of any suitable material such as sheet metal or thelike and which has a base portion 26 with upwardly extending flanges 21and 28 at opposed ends thereof and an upwardly extending back piece 30is provided with a laterally and forwardly extending guide 3| andsupport members 32 and 33 which extend from the upperopposed ends of theback plate 30 downwardly ends resting against the base plate 25. Therear end of the base It of the stapler I5 is adapted to fit on the uppersurface of the base 26 pi the bracket 25 between the upstanding flanges2'! and 2c and to be engaged by the back plate 30, the

being cut away as at 34 to receive Suitable tension springs35 and 36 areprovided which aresecured at their front ends to the upstanding portionsI3 and I4 of the stapler plate I2, respectively, as at 31 and 3B and therear ends of the tension springs 35 and 35 are secured to theupstandingmembers 21 and 28 of the bracket 25 as at 40 and M,respectively.

It will thus be observed that the bracket 25 is connected to the frontportion of the stapler and the bracket along the upper surface of thestapler plate I2. When the stapler I5 is placed in position on thedevice, the bracket 25 holds the rear end of the stapler I5 and urgesthe front portion ,of the base I5 thereof against the upstandin portionsI3 and [4 of the stapler plate {2 to thus position the .BY u of t Vmovab e r ck 25, it is possible to use stapler of various sizes in thisdevice and the tension springs 35 and 35 will hold the stapler in asecured position on the stapler plate I2.

Suitably secured to the base I0 at the rearmost portions thereof andadjacent opposed plate I 2 by the springs 35 and 35 sides of the staplerplate I2 are vertically disposed guides 42 and 43 each preferably beingprovided with flange portions 44 at the front and rear sides thereof Thevertically disposed guides 42 and 43 may be formed integral with thestapler platel2 if desired or may be secured thereto and to the base I0as by welding, if desired.

and haye their free h Means for supporting the electrically operableactuator means are provided comprising a housing having a top wall 5|and side walls 52 and 53 suitably secured thereto or formed integraltherewith and depending therefrom in right-angular relation to the top5I, the side walls 52 and 53 at their lowermost ends being ofsubstantially the same width as the width of the vertically disposedguides 42 and 43 between the flange portions 44 and the side walls 52and 53 being provided with a forwardly extending pro- 'iection 54 and55, respectively, at the uppermost front portion thereof to provide anoverhanging portion of the housing 50.

The width of the housing 50 is substantially equal to the distancebetween the vertically disposed guides 42 and 43 and the side walls 52are mounted for vertical sliding movement in the guides 42 and 43. Theside wall 52 is provided with at least one and disposed guides 32 ing;the flanges and GI permit vertical sliding adjustment of the housing 50.

A horizontal shelf or support member 63 having flanges 64 and 65 at theopposed edges therely midway of the vertical height of said hous- 64 and55 being secured to the inner surfaces of the side walls 52 and 53 inany suitable manner as by welding. The horizontalshelf or support membe'8?- provides a support for an electrically operable solenoid broadlydesignated at 18 whichincludes a solenoid coil II supported in asuitable bracket '12 secured to the horizontal shelf I53 as by bolts 13.The solenoid coil II surrounds a solenoid plunger I5 which is held inposition within the solenoid coil II and in spaced relation to theinterior thereof by a suitable guide i5. Wires TI and 18 withof ;is;secu red within the housing 50 substantialoperated switch 8i has aswitch button 84 mounted therein for vertical sliding movement and whichis normally held in open position as shown in Figure 7 by a spring 85surrounding the same. he switch button 64 has a contact ,plate86 on thelower end thereof. The wire I8 leading from the solenoid coil H has itsother endconnected toa contact point 81 adjacent the contact plate 85 ofthe switch 84. The wire 11 jeads to'one side S5 of suitable plug 9|adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy. Theother side 92 of the plug 91 has a wire 93 connected thereto which hasits other end connected to a contact point 94 adjacent the contact plate86 of the switch button 84 whereby upon the switch button 34 beindepressed the contact plate 86 will contact the points 8'! and 94 tocomplete a circuit to the solenoid coil H, when the plug QI is connectedto a suitable source of electrical energy.

A link I05 having a hook portion IOI adapted to fit over a pin I02provided at the front end of the solenoid plunger 75 extends outwardlyfrom the solenoid plunger I5 and is bifurcated as at I03.

A bell crank I55 is pivotally mounted in a bracket I06 adjustablysecured to the top plate 5I of the housing 50 and the bell crank I05 hasan arm a which depends from the bracket I06 and has its lower endpositioned between the bifurcated end portion I53 of the link I00 and ispivotally secured therein as by a pin I08 penetrating the bifurcatedportion I03 of the link I00 and penetrating the lower end of the armI05a of the bell crank I05. The bell crank I05 also has an arm I051)which extends downwardly at an angle from the pivot point and isprovided with a laterally extending portion IIO having downwardlyextending projections III and I I2 at the opposed ends thereof in whichthe opposed ends of a roller I I3 are rotatably mounted.

. 'The bracket 1% in which the "bell crank I05 is pivotally mouhtedmaybe of any'suitable construction and ii desired the bell crank I06 may bepivotally secured directly to the under surface of the top plate of thehousing 58. Tue bracket I05 is preferably adiustably mounted in the topplate SI of the housing 51] and comprises a base portion I is havingdownwardly extending lugs 12! and I22 between-Which the bell crank I05is pivotally mounted as by a pin or bolt I23. The base I29 of thebracket M16 is provided with bolts I24 and I25 penetrating the samewhich also penetrate suitable longitudinally extending slots I25 andI21, respectively, in the top plate 5I of the housing 50. Adjustment ofthe-bolts I 2% and I25 thus'permits longitudinal adjustment'of thebracket I55 for positioning the bell crank H in any desired position. 1

It will be observed in Figures 1 and 3'that when a stapler I5 ispositioned in the apparatus as heretofore described theroller 'I I3 onthebell crank arm I952) will be positioned in contact with the uppersurface of the hammer actuating arm 25, the hammer actuating arm beingheld in the position shown by conventional spring means, not shown.After being depressed, the hammer actuating arm will thus move back toits raised or normal position as shown in Figure 1, which-movement willreturn the bell crank "35 to the position shown in Figure 1 after eachoperation. The hammer actuating arm 21' thus holds the bell crank armI851) in the desired position and through the link H10 the solenoidplunger I5 is held in position out of the electrical field of thesolenoid coil II.-

Upon a circuit being completed to the solenoid coil TI, an electricalfield is set upcausing the solenoid plunger to move within the solenoidcoil 1! or from left to right in Figures 1, 3 and 4 thus moving the linkI00 and thebell crank I05 to press the roller II3 downwardly against theupper surfaceof the hammer actuating member 2! to depress the handleactuating member 2! to actuate the hammer to staple goods'positionedbetween the hammer and the anvil I1. "Upon each depression of theg'footswitch button 84, a circuit will be completed to again actuate thehammer in the stapler I5 and it is thus seen that an operator may thusbe positioned before the improved staple actuating device and passmaterial through the same using both hands and may actuate the staplerby depressing the foot button switch 84, to thus increase the amount ofwork that can be performed by the stapler I5.

The provision of the bell crank 35 and the single link it!) gives apositive actuating force to the hammer actuating member 2! upon movementof the solenoid plunger 15, and this is effected with a minimum numberof movable parts.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a descriptive and generic sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. An improved electrically operable stapler actuator adapted to receivea stapler having a base portion with an anvil thereon and a hammeractuating member, said improved actuator comprising a base portion,means on said base "portion for holding said stapler, a housing saidhousingand depending therefrom, a link "connecting saidsolenoidplungerwith one arm 10 I of said bell crank, the other arm of said bell crankbeing" in engagement with the hammer actuating member of said stapler,switch means *If or'completing an electrical circuit to said solenoid tomove saidsolenoid plunger and to cause movement of saidbell crank tothus move the hammer actuating member of the stapler'down- 'wardljtoactuate 'said stapler.

2; An improved stapler actuator comprising a base, means for holding astapler on said base,

said stapler having an actuating member, a

housing secured to said base and extending partially-'over-said-stapler, said housing having a solenoidsecured therein above saidstapler provided with'a solenoid plunger, a bell crank pivotally securedto said housing and depending therefrom in superposed relation to saidstapler,

a'single link connecting said bell crank and said solenoid'plunger, saidbell crank having means thereon engaging the stapler actuating member;and means for completing an electrical circuit to said solenoid to movesaid solenoid plungfed to receive 'astapler having an anvil and a hammeractuating member, improved means for actuating saidstapler comprisingsaid stapler actuator base having a housing secured thereto andextending'upwardlyand having a horizontal portion disposed above part ofsaid stapler, a double-arm bell crank pivotally secured at the junctureof its two arms to said horizontal portion, a solenoid secured to aportion of the housing which is higher than said stapler, said solenoidhaving a solenoid plunger therein, a link pivotally connected to saidsole- 'noid plunger and pivotally connected to one arm of said bellcrank, the other arm of said bell crank engaging said hammer actuatingmember, and switch means for completing an electrical circuit to saidsolenoid to move said plunger to, in iturn, move said bell crank foractuating said stapler.

4. In a stapler actuator having a base portion adapted to receive astapler having an anvil and a hammer actuating member, improved meansfor actuating said stapler comprising said sta pler actuator base havinga housing secured thereto adjacent one end thereof, said housingextending upwardly to a point higher than the top of said stapler andhaving a horizontal portion extending over a portion of said stapler, abell crank having a long arm and a short arm and being pivotally mountedon said horizontal portion of said housing and depending therefrom, thelong arm of said bell crank engaging said hammer actuating member, asolenoid secured to an upper portion of said housing and having asolenoid plunger therein, a link pivotally connected at one end to saidsolenoid plunger and pivotally connected at its other end to said shortarm of said bell crank, and means for closing an electrical circuit tosaid solenoid coil to cause movement of said solenoid plunger to pivotsaid bell crank to actuate said stapler.

7 .5. In a stapler actuator having a base portion adapted toreceiveastapler having an anvil and a hammer actuating member, improved meansfor actuating said stapler ,comprisingzsaid stapler actuator base havingan inverted U-shaped housing secured thereto with the web portionthereof positioned at a point higher than said stapler, said housinghaving .a horizontal shelf portion spaced from the web :portion thereof,a double-arm bell crank pivotally mounted at the juncture of its arms-onthe web portion of said housing, a solenoid coil mounted on thehorizontal shelf portion of said housing and having a plunger therein, alink pivotally connecting said solenoid plunger with one of said bellcrank, the-otherarm of said bell crank engaging said hammer actuatingmember, and means for momentarily energizing said solenoid to cause saidplunger to move said bell crank to actuate said stapler.

6. In a stapler actuator having a base adapted .to receive.astaplerhaving an anvil and a hammer actuating member, improved meansfor actuating said stapler comprising a housing having a horizontallydisposed web portionandspaced depending leg portions, the lower ends ofsaid leg portions being secured to said base, said horizontally disposedweb portion being positioned at a point higher than said stapler, adouble-arm bell crank pivot-ally secured at the juncture of its arms tothe horizontally disposed web portion of said housing, a solenoid coilsecured to said housing and said solenoid having a solenoid plungertherein, a link pivotally connecting said solenoid plunger with one ofthe arms of said bell crank, the other of the arms of said bell crankengaging said hammer actuating member, and means for momentarilyenergizing said solenoid to move said plunger and said bell crank toactuate said stapler.

7, In a stapler actuator having a base adapted to receive a stapler andalso having a housing and a solenoid supported thereby and bell crankmeans secured to the housing and to the solenoid and engageable withsaid stapler for actuating the same, means for holding a stapler on saidbase comprising a flange secured to said base and Number against whichthe front portion of the stapler abuts, a bracket adapted to receive therear portion of the stapler, and spring means connecting said flangewith said bracket and normally urging said bracket toward said flange.

8. In a stapler actuator for staplers having a base portion and anactuating member pivotally secured .to said base portion, said stapleractuator having a base and ,a housing extending upwardly from said baseand' a bell crank and a solenoid secured to said housing for moving saidbell crank into engagement with said-actuating member, means foradjusting said stapler actuator to accommodate staple-rs of varyingsizes comprising a pair of spaced guide members having their lower endssecured to said base adjacent one end thereof, said housing having a topwall and side Walls, said side walls being slidably mounted in saidguide members and screw means penetrating said guide members and saidside walls to hold the same in a desired adjusted position.

9. In astapler actuator for staplers havingan anvil and ;a hammeractuating member, said stapler actuator having a base and a housingextending upwardly from said base and a bell crank and a solenoidsecured to said housing for moving said .bell crank into engagement withsaid hammer actuating member, means for adjusting said stapler actuatorto accommodate staplers of varying sizes, comp-rising a pair of guidemembers mounted on said base, said housing having a horizontal webportion and depending leg portions, said-leg portions being adiustablymounted on said guide members, said horizontal web portion of saidhousing having a bracket adjustably secured thereto, said bell crankbeing pivotally mounted in said bracket, wherebysaid bell crank may beadjusted horizontally and said housing may be adjusted verticallyrelative to said guide members to thus accommodate different sizestaplers.

JOHN J. :GEEL.

References Cited inythe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NameDate 1,940,980 Svenson Dec. 26, 1933

